Effects of autochthonousLactobacillus plantarumstrains onListeria monocytogenesinsucuk during ripening

Beyond Conventional Meat Preservation: Saddling the Control of Bacteriocin and Lactic Acid Bacteria for Clean Label and Functional Meat Products

Advancements in food science and technology have paved the way for the development of natural antimicrobial compounds to ensure the safety and quality of meat and meat products. Among these compounds, bacteriocin produced by lactic acid bacteria has gained considerable scientific attention for its ability to preserve the healthy properties of meat while preventing spoilage. This natural preservative is seen as a pioneering tool and a potent alternative to chemical preservatives and heat treatment, which can have harmful effects on the nutritional and sensory qualities of meat. Bacteriocin produced by lactic acid bacteria can be used in various forms, including as starter/protective cultures for fermented meats, purified or partially purified forms, loaded in active films/coatings, or established in encapsulate systems. This review delves into the downstream purification schemes of LAB bacteriocin, the elucidation of their characteristics, and their modes of action. Additionally, the application of LAB bacteriocins in meat and meat products is examined in detail. Overall, the use of LAB bacteriocins holds immense potential to inspire innovation in the meat industry, reducing the dependence on harmful chemical additives and minimizing the adverse effects of heat treatment on nutritional and sensory qualities. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the potential of bacteriocin produced by lactic acid bacteria as a natural and effective meat preservative.

Comprehensive Review on the Biocontrol of Listeria monocytogenes in Food Products

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis, a group of human illnesses that appear more frequently in countries with better-developed food supply systems. This review discusses the efficacy of actual biocontrol methods combined with the main types of food involved in illnesses. Comments on bacteriophages, lactic acid bacteria, bacteriocins, essential oils, and endolysins and derivatives, as main biological antilisterial agents, are made bearing in mind that, using them, food processors can intervene to protect consumers. Both commercially available antilisterial products and solutions presented in scientific papers for mitigating the risk of contamination are emphasized. Potential combinations between different types of antilisterial agents are highlighted for their synergic effects (bacteriocins and essential oils, phages and bacteriocins, lactic acid bacteria with natural or synthetic preservatives, etc.). The possibility to use various antilisterial biological agents in active packaging is also presented to reveal the diversity of means that food processors may adopt to assure the safety of their products. Integrating biocontrol solutions into food processing practices can proactively prevent outbreaks and reduce the occurrences of L. monocytogenes-related illnesses.

Improving quality of poultry and its meat products with probiotics, prebiotics, and phytoextracts

Remarkable changes have occurred in poultry farming and meat processing in recent years, driven by advancements in breeding technology, feed processing technology, farming conditions, and management practices. The incorporation of probiotics, prebiotics, and phytoextracts has made significant contributions to the development of poultry meat products that promote both health and functionality throughout the growth phase and during meat processing. Poultry fed with these substances improve meat quality, while incorporating probiotics, prebiotics, and phytoextracts in poultry processing, as additives or supplements, inhibits pathogens and offers health benefits to consumers. However, it is vital to assess the safety of functional fermented meat products containing these compounds and their potential effects on consumer health. Currently, there's still uncertainty in these aspects. Additionally, research on utilizing next-generation probiotic strains and synergistic combinations of probiotics and prebiotics in poultry meat products is in its early stages. Therefore, further investigation is required to gain a comprehensive understanding of the beneficial effects and safety considerations of these substances in poultry meat products in the future. This review offered a comprehensive overview of the applications of probiotics and prebiotics in poultry farming, focusing on their effects on nutrient utilization, growth efficiency, and gut health. Furthermore, potential of probiotics, prebiotics, and phytoextracts in enhancing poultry meat production was explored for improved health benefits and functionality, and possible issues associated with the use of these substances were discussed. Moreover, the conclusions drawn from this review and potential future perspectives in this field are presented.

Biologically Active Compounds from Probiotic Microorganisms and Plant Extracts Used as Biopreservatives

Ensuring the microbiological safety of food products is a pressing global concern. With the increasing resistance of microorganisms to chemical agents and the declining effectiveness of synthetic preservatives, there is a growing need for alternative sources of natural, bioactive compounds with antimicrobial activity. The incorporation of probiotics and plant extracts into food formulations not only enriches foodstuffs with microorganisms and phytochemicals with biologically active compounds, but also provides a means for product preservation. The current review considers the importance of the process of biological preservation for providing safe foods with high biological value, natural origin and composition, and prolonged shelf life, thereby improving consumers' quality of life. To accomplish this goal, this review presents a series of examples showcasing natural preservatives, including beneficial bacteria, yeasts, and their metabolites, as well as phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and alkaloids from plant extracts. By summarizing numerous studies, identifying research challenges and regulatory barriers for their wider use, and outlining future directions for investigation, this article makes an original contribution to the field of biopreservation.

Autochthonous Cultures to Improve Safety and Standardize Quality of Traditional Dry Fermented Meats

Traditional dry fermented meat products are obtained artisanally in many countries, where they represent a gastronomic heritage well distinguished from industrial counterparts. This food category is most often obtained from red meat, a food commodity that is under attack because of evidence of increased risk of cancer and degenerative diseases with high consumption. However, traditional fermented meat products are intended for moderate consumption and gastronomic experience, and, as such, their production must be continued, which would also help safeguard the culture and economy of the geographical areas of origin. In this review, the main risks attributed to these products are considered, and how these risks are reduced by the application of autochthonous microbial cultures is highlighted by reviewing studies reporting the effects of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB), coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS), Debaryomyces hansenii and Penicillium nalgiovense on microbiological and chemical safety and on sensory attributes. The role of dry fermented sausages as a source of microorganisms that can be beneficial to the host is also considered. From the results of the studies reviewed here it appears that the development of autochthonous cultures for these foods can ensure safety and stabilize sensory characteristics and has the capacity to be extended to a larger variety of traditional products.

High pressure processing at the early stages of ripening enhances the safety and quality of dry fermented sausages elaborated with or without starter culture

To study the quality of chorizo de León dry fermented sausages (DFS), high pressure processing (HPP) applied at the early stages of ripening and the use of a functional starter culture were evaluated as additional safety measures. Furthermore, the ability to control the populations of artificially inoculated Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium was investigated and the evolution of microbial communities was assessed by amplicon 16S rRNA metataxonomics. The use of HPP and the starter culture, independently or combined, induced a reduction of Listeria monocytogenes of 1.5, 4.3 and > 4.8 log CFU/g respectively, as compared to control. Salmonella Typhimurium counts were under the detection limit (<1 log) in all treated end-product samples. Both additional measures reduced the activity of undesirable microbiota, such as Serratia and Brochothrix, during the production of DFS. Moreover, the starter culture highly influencedthe taxonomic profile of samples.No adverse sensory effects were observed, and panelists showed preference for HPP treated DFS. In conclusion, this new approach of applying HPP at the early stages of ripening of DFS in combination with the use of a defined starter culture improved the safety and quality of the meat product.

Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bacteriocins: Novel Biotechnological Approach for Biopreservation of Meat and Meat Products

Meat and meat products are perishable in nature, and easily susceptible to microbial contamination and chemical deterioration. This not only results in an increased risk to health of consumers, but also causes economic loss to the meat industry. Some microorganisms of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) group and their ribosomal-synthesized antimicrobial peptides-especially bacteriocins-can be used as a natural preservative, and an alternative to chemical preservatives in meat industry. Purified or partially purified bacteriocins can be used as a food additive or incorporated in active packaging, while bacteriocin-producing cells could be added as starter or protective cultures for fermented meats. Large-scale applications of bacteriocins are limited, however, mainly due to the narrow antimicrobial spectrum and varying stability in different food matrixes. To overcome these limitations, bioengineering and biotechnological techniques are being employed to combine two or more classes of bacteriocins and develop novel bacteriocins with high efficacy. These approaches, in combination with hurdle concepts (active packaging), provide adequate safety by reducing the pathogenicity of spoilage microorganisms, improving sensory characteristics (e.g., desirable flavor, texture, aroma) and enhancing the shelf life of meat-based products. In this review, the biosynthesis of different classes of LAB bacteriocins, their mechanism of action and their role in the preservation of meats and meat products are reviewed.

Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB): Autochthonous and Probiotic Microbes for Meat Preservation and Fortification

The enhanced concern of the consumers regarding the safety, quality of the food products, and avoidance of the use of chemical food preservatives has resulted in a breakthrough in biopreservation. This has resulted in the use of beneficial microbial species, including bacteria and their secondary metabolites, to enhance the shelf-life and quality of the food products. Meat preservation and fortification are among the biggest concerns, as they are relevant to the majority of food products. The chemical preservatives conventionally used in preserving meat and meat products possess several detrimental effects on the consumers. Thus, alternative strategies are needed to combat strategically in facilitating the shelf-life and quality. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are considered the safest organism and have a profound role in food and food-processing industries. The biofilm developed by the bacteria prevents the growth of various undesirable microorganisms on meat and meat products. Various studies depicted that LAB produces various antimicrobial metabolites that can act effectively on the food-degrading pathogens, rendering it safe and enhancing shelf-life. This review, thus, deals with the use of LAB as biopreservatives for enhancing the shelf-life of meat and meat products and helping its fortification.

Whole genome sequencing for the risk assessment of probiotic lactic acid bacteria

Probiotic bacteria exhibit beneficial effects on human and/or animal health, and have been widely used in foods and fermented products for decades. Most probiotics consist of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which are used in the production of various food products but have also been shown to have the ability to prevent certain diseases. With the expansion of applications for probiotic LAB, there is an increasing concern with regard to safety, as cases with adverse effects, i.e., severe infections, transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes, etc., can occur. Currently, in vitro assays remain the primary way to assess the properties of LAB. However, such methodologies are not meeting the needs of strain risk assessment on a high-throughput scale, in the context of the evolving concept of food safety. Analyzing the complete genetic information, including potential virulence genes and other determinants with a negative impact on health, allows for assessing the safe use of the product, for which whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of individual LAB strains can be employed. Genomic data can also be used to understand subtle differences in the strain level important for beneficial effects, or protect patents. Here, we propose that WGS-based bioinformatics analyses are an ideal and cost-effective approach for the initial in silico microbial risk evaluation, while the technique may also increase our understanding of LAB strains for food safety and probiotic property evaluation.

Functional and technological characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Turkish dry-fermented sausage (sucuk)

In this study, 10 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from Turkish fermented sausage (sucuk) and identified as 5 Lactobacillus plantarum, 1 Pediococcus acidilactici, 1 Weissella hellenica, 1 Lactobacillus pentosus, and 2 Lactobacillus sakei. PCR screening of genes encoding plantaricin A and pediocin showed the presence of plantaricin A gene in 9 and pediocin gene in 3 of strains. All isolates showed antibacterial and antifungal effect on most of the tested microorganisms. gad gene, encoding glutamic acid decarboxylase enzyme, was detected in all isolates except Weisella hellenica KS-24. Eight of isolates were determined as gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) producer in the presence of 53 mM mono sodium glutamate (MSG) by HPLC and TLC analysis. DPPH scavenging activity was observed for all isolates. Additionally, isolates were able to produce exopolysaccharide in the presence of sucrose. The best exopolysaccharide (EPS) production was achieved with L. plantarum KS-11 and L. pentosus KS-27. As a result, this study characterized some techno-functional properties of LAB isolates from sucuk. It was concluded that the isolates studied have the potential to be used in obtaining functional products in meat industry, as well as strain selection may be effective in providing the desired properties in the product.

Strategies for Biocontrol of Listeria monocytogenes Using Lactic Acid Bacteria and Their Metabolites in Ready-to-Eat Meat- and Dairy-Ripened Products

Listeria monocytogenes is one of the most important foodborne pathogens. This microorganism is a serious concern in the ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and dairy-ripened products industries. The use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB)-producing anti-L. monocytogenes peptides (bacteriocins) and/or lactic acid and/or other antimicrobial system could be a promising tool to control this pathogen in RTE meat and dairy products. This review provides an up to date about the strategies of use of LAB and their metabolites in RTE meat products and dairy foods by selecting the most appropriate strains, by analysing the mechanism by which they inhibit L. monocytogenes and methods of effective application of LAB, and their metabolites in these kinds of products to control this pathogen throughout the processing and storage. The selection of LAB with anti-L. monocytogenes activity allows to dispose of effective strains in meat and dairy-ripened products, achieving reductions form 2–5 logarithmic cycles of this pathogen throughout the ripening process. The combination of selected LAB strains with antimicrobial compounds, such as acid/sodium lactate and other strategies, as the active packaging could be the next future innovation for eliminating risk of L. monocytogenes in meat and dairy-ripened products.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum and Fructooligosaccharides Combination Inhibits the Growth, Adhesion, Invasion, and Virulence of Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen responsible for many food outbreaks worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the single and combined effect of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum CICC 6257 (L. plantarum) on the growth, adhesion, invasion, and virulence of gene expressions of Listeria monocytogenes 19112 serotype 4b (L. monocytogenes). Results showed that L. plantarum combined with 2% and 4% (w/v) FOS significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes (3-3.5 log10 CFU/mL reduction) at the incubation temperature of 10 °C and 25 °C. Under the same combination condition, the invasion rates of L. monocytogenes to Caco-2 and BeWo cells were reduced more than 90% compared to the result of the untreated group. After L. plantarum was combined with the 2% and 4% (w/v) FOS treatment, the gene expression of actin-based motility, sigma factor, internalin A, internalin B, positive regulatory factor A, and listeriolysin O significantly (p < 0.05) were reduced over 91%, 77%, 92%, 89%, 79%, and 79% compared to the result of the untreated group, respectively. The inhibition level of the L. plantarum and FOS combination against L. monocytogenes was higher than that of FOS or L. plantarum alone. Overall, these results indicated that the L. plantarum and FOS combination might be an effective formula against L. monocytogenes.

Technological Parameters, Anti-Listeria Activity, Biogenic Amines Formation and Degradation Ability of L. plantarum Strains Isolated from Sheep-Fermented Sausage

The aim of this work was to identify and characterize, from a technological and safety point of view, the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from traditional sheep-fermented sausage. First, LABs were identified then were screened for some technological parameters such as acidifying and growth ability, proteolytic and lipolytic activity and for antimicrobial activity. Finally, biogenic amine production and degradation abilities were also evaluated. This research reveals the predominance of Lactiplantibacillus (L.) plantarum on LAB community. Almost all L. plantarum strains were active against Listeria monocytogenes strains (inhibition zone diameters > 1 cm). None of the tested strains were positive in histidine (hdcA), lysine (ldc) and tyrosine (tyrdc) decarboxylase genes and only one (L. plantarum PT9-2) was positive to the agmatine deiminase (agdi) gene. Furthermore, given the positive results of the sufl (multi-copper oxidase) gene detection, all strains showed a potential degradation ability of biogenic amines.

Application of lactic acid bacteria for the biopreservation of meat products: A systematic review

The increasing concern of consumers about food quality and safety and their rejection of chemical additives has promoted the breakthrough of the biopreservation field and the development of studies on the use of beneficial bacteria and their metabolites as potential natural antimicrobials for shelf life extension and enhanced food safety. Control of foodborne pathogens in meat and meat products represents a serious challenge for the food industry which can be addressed through the intelligent use of bio-compounds or biopreservatives. This article aims to systematically review the available knowledge about biological strategies based on the use of lactic acid bacteria to control the proliferation of undesirable microorganisms in different meat products. The outcome of the literature search evidenced the potential of several strains of lactic acid bacteria and their purified or semi-purified antimicrobial metabolites as biopreservatives in meat products for achieving longer shelf life or inhibiting spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, especially when combined with other technologies to achieve a synergistic effect.